Sri Lanka’s premier one-day bowler Lasith Malinga will return to
international cricket towards the tail-end of the seven-match ODI series
in New Zealand in January 2015. Malinga underwent surgery on a troubled left ankle in September and
is currently recuperating. He missed Sri Lanka’s last two ODI series
played against India and England.“Malinga is still recovering from surgery and everything is going
well according to plan. He will return for the last two ODI games in New
Zealand,” assured Sri Lanka coach Marvan Atapattu.Malinga, who has been named in Sri Lanka’s provisional World Cup
squad of 30, has 271 wickets from 177 ODIs. Without him Sri Lanka
managed to beat England 5-2 at home after losing 0-5 to India.Suranga Lakmal made up for Malinga’s absence with two telling spells in the final two ODIs against England.“It’s nothing like you having your settled combination. If Malinga
and [Nuwan] Kulasekera can come back and bowl the way they have done in
the past it will be fantastic,” Atapattu said. - ESPN